Poly Possibilities
by HuesoftheMorning
Summary: A collection of one-shots featuring various polyships (3 or more people). Contains the grade trios, all nine members in one big, happy family, and others.
1. HonoKotoUmi

A/N: Most of the chapters in this story will be request based: if you have a polyship you want to see written, tell me in a review and I'll try to write something within a few days to a week.

The first chapter is the second year trio, HonoKotoUmi.

* * *

In retrospect, maybe challenging Umi – Umi, who had great aim in both archery and pillow fights; Umi, who had enough of a temper to throw things really, _really_ hard – to a snowball fight was not the best idea.

"Take cover!" Honoka yelled, tackling Kotori to the ground as a snowball flew over their heads. Kotori yelped as she hit the ground, eyes growing wide when she realized how close she had been to getting hit. Honoka quickly rolled off her, forming a snowball and throwing it at Umi. It fell short by a few feet, and Honoka gulped. Kotori's own throw was closer, but not close enough.

"I think it's time to change tactics, Kotori-chan."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Of course!" Honoka gave Kotori a thumbs up. Kotori started making extra snowballs, just in case. Umi was stalking towards the two of them, fire in her eyes as she slowly formed another snowball. Honoka took a few steps forward before falling to her knees in a deep bow.

"Umi-chan! Forgive me!"

"Honoka…" Umi warned, her voice low.

"No, no! Really! I'm sorry!" Honoka looked up, putting on her best pleading face. Umi stopped walking, waiting to see what Honoka was going to say. "I know I shouldn't have stuffed snow down your shirt! It was really, really dumb of me, and I'm really, really sorry, I swear! I'll never do it again! I promise!"

"…you promise?" Umi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Honoka hesitated. "Er… well, I won't do it again today! Or tomorrow! And, and, I'll only read _one_ volume of manga before I do my homework tonight!"

"I'm not sure I believe-" Umi froze as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Kotori, having realized that Honoka's plan was not going to succeed, had snuck around the two of them and hugged Umi from behind.

"Please, Umi-chan?"

"Kotori…" Already Umi's anger seemed to be fading. Honoka held her breath, praying that Kotori would cause a miracle.

"I'm sure Honoka-chan will make it up to you! So please forgive us? Pretty please?" She kissed Umi on the cheek, smiling to herself as the other girl turned red.

"We-well, I-I suppose," Umi stammered. She took a deep breath, trying to regain control of herself. "F-fine. I'll let you off the hook. But only _this_ time, Honoka!"

"Thank you, Umi-chan!" Kotori squeezed Umi tighter as Honoka's face lit up.

"Yeah! Thanks!" She bounded over to her girlfriends, wrapping them both in a hug. "You guys are the best!"

"Yeah, yeah," Umi grumbled, relaxing into the warm embrace. Honoka and Kotori exchanged bright, relieved grins, glad that they had survived another day.


	2. MakiRinPana

**Pairing:** Maki/Rin/Hanayo

Maki knew she was in trouble the moment she walked through the door. She sighed as she slipped off her shoes, ignoring the excited whispers coming from the other room. She just couldn't leave those two alone, could she?

"Alright," she called, heading towards the living room. "What did you do this time?"

Muffled laughter was her only response, but she didn't need more than that. Maki gaped at the sight before her. A pillow fort – more like a pillow _city_ – was sprawled across the room. Blankets were draped across chairs and tables, with pillows and the couch making up the walls. There was a glow emitting from somewhere in the middle, revealing two shadowy figures.

"Come and join us, Maki-chan!" Rin called out.

Maki wasn't sure she wanted to get in the middle of this, and even if she did, she had no clue where the entrance was. There were no visible openings, and knowing Rin…

"And just how do you expect me to get in there?" she asked, already knowing what the response would be.

There was a pause, then more muttered whisperings.

"Um…" Hanayo responded, sounding apologetic, "Rin-chan says that she may, uh, have forgetten to make a way in?"

Maki sighed again, twirling a lock of hair idly as she waited.

"Rin's very sorry, Maki-chan!" Rin's silhouette moved about as she scrambled to make an entrance. "I'll figure it out, promise!"

A moment later the orange-haired girl poked her head out from under a blanket, a wide grin on her face.

"All good, nya! Come on in!"

Reluctantly, Maki got on her knees and crawled through the opening, following Rin through a maze of chair legs and pillows until they reached Hanayo, who was waiting for them with a smile.

"Now that Maki-chan's here, we can finally start the movie!" Rin cheered, plopping herself down in front of her laptop.

"That's why you built this? To watch a movie? Wouldn't it have been easier to just sit on the couch normally?"

"Aww, Maki-chan's no fun! The couch is boring!"

"Rin-chan was really excited to make this," Hanayo explained. "We spent all day working on it; watching a movie was something we decided at the end."

"The movie was Kayochin's idea! Rin just wanted to sleep in here!"

Maki shook her head. "This is going to take a long time to clean up, you know."

"Then we just won't clean it up!"

"Rin…"

"It shouldn't take too long if we all work together. And it's kind of exciting to watch a movie in here, don't you think, Maki-chan?" Hanayo smiled, and Maki frowned for a moment before slumping her shoulders in defeat.

"Well, since you already spent so much time making it, I guess we can keep it up for a day or two."

Rin and Hanayo exchanged grins. "That's the spirit, nya! Rin will go set up the movie!" She turned to her laptop and started taping away. Hanayo handed Maki a bowl of rice, who just looked at it with raised eyebrows, noting the empty bowl of what used to be ramen sitting next to Rin.

"Isn't popcorn more appropriate for a movie?"

"Well... Rin really wanted ramen, and I wanted rice…"

Hanayo gave a sheepish grin, and Maki sighed, taking the bowl of rice. It could be worse.

"All set!" Rin plopped the laptop in front of Maki and laid down with her head in the other girl's lap. Hanayo scooted next to them, leaning against Maki and digging in to her own bowl as Maki started the movie.

It wasn't until they were halfway through the film that Maki realized what had been bothering her about the pillow fort.

"Hey, Rin, Hanayo. Where did you get all of these pillows anyways? I didn't think we had this many." Maki felt her girlfriends tense up at the question.

"W-well, Rin _definitely_ didn't drag Kayochin to a furniture store to buy more pillows. Silly Maki-chan! Why would you even say that?" Rin laughed nervously.

"Rin…"

"Ah! Look, Maki-chan! This is the best part of movie!"

"Y-yeah! We should be quiet, we don't want to miss it!"

Rin turned up the volume and Hanayo leaned forward to see better. Maki just rolled her eyes, knowing that scolding them would be useless. And it was a _little_ exciting, she supposed, curling up underneath the blanket ceiling. It was like a whole separate world, one that contained only the three of them. And really, what more could she want?


	3. NozoNicoEli

**Pairing:** Nozomi/Nico/Eli

It was Nozomi's turn to cook dinner. Nico watched her warily, well acquainted with the older girl's experimental cooking techniques. She had gone out and bought the ingredients herself, so Nozomi had no excuse to mix them up. Unfortunately, Nozomi didn't care about excuses.

"—stay late tomorrow, is that okay? …Nico?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Nico turned her attention back to Eli, who was sitting next to her at the table. "What are you staying late for?"

Eli gave an exasperated smile. "You weren't listening to any of that, were you? I have a lab due at the end of the week, so I need to spend some extra time at the university. I was wondering if I should do it tomorrow or the day after."

"Do it tomorrow." Nico leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head. "You'll be all antsy about it if you don't, since you'll be worried about not finishing in time."

"I suppose that's true. I should only need one day though. What will you two do?"

"Get take-out or something, probably. Although that's assuming that we survive whatever Nozomi's making right now."

"Aww, Nicocchi," Nozomi called from the kitchen, "I thought you had more faith in me!"

"I'd have more faith in you if you'd actually follow the recipe! You just doubled the amount of spice you were supposed to use, don't think I missed that!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about~"

Nico glared at Nozomi's back, hearing the grin in the other girl's voice. Eli just sighed. This was a common argument between the two, and it was better to avoiding commenting. As long as the food was edible, she didn't really mind how it was made. Nico, on the other hand, seemed to take personal offense when Nozomi changed the recipe on a whim. It was only stir-fry though; it couldn't go _that_ badly. She hoped.

Nozomi hummed as she worked, cutting up the vegetables and meat and putting them in the pan. Nico was only half-listening as she and Eli talked, so it took her a while to recognize the song.

"Yeah, it was really- wait. _Seriously_, Nozomi?"

"Hmm?"

"You're humming _Love Novels_! That's not even your song!"

Nozomi turned to Nico with a smile. "Yeah, but it's a good one! I'm sure Maki-chan would let me sing it with you if I asked."

"No, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't. You don't exactly fit in with BiBi's image."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I'm sure I can figure something out."

Nico grimaced at the idea, and Eli laughed at her expression. "Don't worry about it, Nico. Nozomi was humming Beat in Angel yesterday. She just picks songs at random."

"_Why?_ Shouldn't you hum your own songs?"

"But I sing my songs all the time! Everyone else's songs are really good, so I want to sing them too!"

"Hmmm." Nico had more to say, but Nozomi placing the bowls of food on the table distracted her. Despite Nico's concerns, the stir-fry came out just fine. The three of them ate slowly, enjoying the taste, chatting idly about classes and work. They went to bed a few hours later, full and happy. Nozomi plopped down in the middle of the bed, with Nico and Eli lying down on either side of her. She wrapped them both in a hug, and they fell asleep to the gentle glow of the nightlight.


	4. NicoToriPana

**Pairing: **Nico/Kotori/Hanayo

**Requested by:** lilimala on tumblr

"Oh, Nico-chan, I forgot to tell you!" Kotori said, her eyes lighting up as she turned to look at the other girl, "I finally finished the design for your next dress! I'm going to start sewing it tonight."

"Oh yeah? What's it look like?"

Kotori gave an excited description, explaining all the details and intricacies while Nico gave words of approval. Hanayo walked silently beside them with a smile on her face. She didn't understand much about fashion or designing clothes, though she had learned a lot since she had started dating the other two, but she enjoyed listening to them talk. Kotori was very passionate about the subject, and Nico was able to match her enthusiasm. It made Hanayo happy just to hear them.

A soft sound distracted her, and she pulled her attention away from the conversation. The noise came again, and she stopped walking, tilting her head as she tried to locate the source. Was it coming from the bushes…?

"Hanayo-chan?"

She ignored the call for her name and bent down, peering between the branches of the shrubs lining the sidewalk. Footsteps sounded behind her as Nico and Kotori came back to see what she was doing. Hanayo reached carefully into the bushes, gently picking up the source of the mewling. She turned towards her girlfriends with a bright smile.

"Look!"

"A kitten?" Nico stared at the small creature in surprise. Kotori gasped in excitement, bending down to get a closer look.

"It's so cute! That was a good find, Hanayo-chan!"

Hanayo blushed at the praise. "It-it was nothing. I heard meowing, so I thought I'd see what it was. What should we do with it though?"

"Keep it, of course!" Hanayo and Kotori looked at Nico, who kneeled down to pet the kitten. "Anyone who let a kitten this young outside shouldn't have pets, and I don't see a mom cat around anywhere. So let's take it home! Finders keepers, after all."

"Having a pet would be nice…" Hanayo murmured, cradling the cat closer to her chest.

"I think it would fun! We have enough money to take care of one, right? Especially after you put out your next song, Nico-chan."

"Yeah! It's all settled, then. Let's bring it home."

They got to their feet and continued walking back to the apartment. The kitten sat comfortably in Hanayo's arms, quickly lulled to sleep by the girl's warmth. Hanayo smiled at the sight.

"What should we name it?"

"We name it Nico-chan, of course!" Nico said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Kotori and Hanayo looked at each other, not at all surprised by the suggestion.

"Maybe we should come up with something better?" Kotori tried. "It would be confusing if we had two Nico-chans, after all."

"I guess." Nico shrugged. "What's your idea?"

"We should name it Gohan," Hanayo decided. Nico gave her an incredulous look.

"You want to name it after _rice_?"

"I think it's cute," Kotori said with a smile. "And it's a white cat, so it makes sense, too."

Nico sighed. "Well, I guess it fits. Welcome to the family, Gohan."

The newly named kitten let out a soft mew in its sleep, and all three girls smiled at the sound.


	5. Muse OT9

**Pairing:** All of Muse

**Request and Outline by:** shadow-otaku-ninja on tumblr

Kotori woke up to sunlight filtering through the blinds. She blinked slowly, adjusting to the light. There was a soft murmur to her left, and she turned her head to see Honoka mumbling in her sleep. The sight brought a smile to Kotori's face. She slipped carefully out of the other girl's loose embrace, stretching for a moment before sliding out of bed and getting dressed.

"…Kotori?" Umi sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Kotori was just about to leave the room, but she headed back to the bed to give Umi a quick kiss on the cheek. The blue haired girl blushed lightly, not quite awake enough to get embarrassed.

"Good morning Umi-chan! I'm going to head downstairs and help Nico-chan with breakfast, but you can go back to sleep if you want."

Umi shook her head. "No, we shouldn't sleep in. You go ahead; I'll wake up Honoka."

"Mm!" Kotori headed to the kitchen; there were voices coming from the living room, but she chose to ignore them for a moment. "Good morning Nico-chan! Oh, and Eli-chan too!"

"Good morning." Eli gave Kotori a smile, sipping her tea. Nico waved in greeting.

"You're finally up, huh? Come over here and help me out; we're making omelets."

"Are we the last ones to come down?" Kotori asked as she went to the counter, taking an egg out of the carton and neatly cracking it open.

"You're the last ones down, but not the last ones to wake up." Eli chuckled at Kotori's confused expression. "Did you stop by the living room on your way here?"

"No…" Kotori shook her head. "I heard them talking, but I didn't stop to listen."

"Go take a look now."

"Hey! Don't steal my helper!"

Eli rolled her eyes, setting her tea down on the table and walking over to the counter. "I'll take her place while she looks. It won't take long, I'm sure."

"Yep! I'll be right back, Nico-chan!"

"Fine…" Nico grumbled, handing Eli a fry pan.

Kotori left the two of them and headed to the living room to check on the other members of the group. She heard Maki's voice as she got close; the younger girl sounded frustrated.

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous."

"Now, now, Maki-chan," Nozomi said, "it's too early in the morning to get so worked up."

"But—"

"What's the problem?" Kotori asked as she entered the room. The other girls turned to look at her. Maki had a frown on her face, while Nozomi and Hanayo greeted her with a smile.

"We finally got Rin-chan downstairs," Hanayo explained, "but she fell asleep on Nozomi-chan's lap and Maki's trying to wake her up again."

Rin was sprawled across the couch, her head in Nozomi's lap and her legs dangling off the side. Nozomi was gently running her fingers through the girl's hair, looking perfectly content at the idea of sitting there for a while longer.

"There's no reason to wake her until breakfast is ready," the older girl reasoned. "There's no harm in letting her sleep a little bit more."

"She should learn to stay awake once she's up." Maki sighed. "But if you're okay with it, I guess I'll let it slide. Kotori. Does Nico-chan need help in the kitchen?"

"Eli-chan is helping her right now, but I'm sure she won't mind the extra the hands! Although, if you'd be willing to check on Umi-chan and Honoka-chan for me, that would be great too. Could you tell them that breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

Kotori smiled in thanks and headed back to the kitchen. It was nice of Maki to offer help, but she usually just got in the way when cooking. And with Eli-chan helping, Kotori figured that it would be easier for Maki to take care of something else. Though she wondered if sending her to wake up Honoka was the best idea, since she was already annoyed at Rin for sleeping. Well, Kotori decided, Umi should be able to handle any problems that arose.

Maki took another look at the sleeping Rin before heading upstairs. Though she wasn't sure how much help she'd be; Honoka was always sleeping in late, and usually Umi was the only one who could wake her. The bedroom door was open when she got there, so she walked right in without bothering to knock. It was exactly what she had expected: Honoka was buried underneath the covers, Umi sitting next to her and trying vainly to shake her awake.

"Need any help?"

"Honoka's beyond help," Umi stated, glaring at the girl in question.

"Did you try bribing her yet?" Maki asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Of course. But even the promise of Nico's breakfast wasn't enough to get her moving."

"Really? That's surprising. We'll have to find something else to bribe her with then."

"What do you suggest?"

"Hmmm." Maki looked at her two seniors, coming up with an idea. "Hey, Honoka. If you get up now, Umi will kiss you."

"Wh-what!?" Umi's face flushed red, but Honoka's eye opened a crack. Maki smirked.

"The offer's only good for another ten seconds, though. If you don't make it time, Umi won't kiss you for the next week."

"Maki!"

Maki ignored Umi's protests. "Well? Time's running out. Five seconds left. Four. Three. Are you sure sleeping in is worth it? Two seconds left. One-"

"Okay, okay, I'm awake!" Honoka shot up, eyes wide. "Ahh, you're so mean Maki-chan!"

Maki simply shrugged, standing up and heading to the door. "Breakfast should be ready in about ten minutes. I'm going back downstairs."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Honoka to claim her reward. Rin had woken up again when she reached the living room, the smell of food enough of an incentive to get her to move. Umi and Honoka came down a few minutes later, and the nine girls enjoyed their breakfast together.

* * *

Night had fallen hours ago, and the girls were spending a peaceful evening in their living room. Honoka, Rin, and Nico were playing a video game on the tv, with Hanayo watching curiously. Eli and Nozomi were curled up on the couch with a book, while Umi and Maki were having an intense chess game nearby. Kotori sat next to them, idly working on her latest sewing project. They chatted while they worked and played, conversation flowing easily throughout the room.

It was late when Eli finally stood up, gathering everyone's attention. "We should head to bed. We all have work tomorrow, after all, and we don't want to be tired."

There was a chorus of aww's from some of the girls, but they knew that Eli was right. They put away their games and met in the middle of the room for the nightly ritual. It was something they had started doing ever since they bought the house, a way to make sure every member of the group received attention and knew that they were loved. It started with Honoka:

One.

Honoka beamed as she received her hugs and kisses, her eyes bright.

Two.

Kotori had a gentle smile during her turn, feeling at peace as she accepted everyone's affections.

Three.

Despite going through it every night, Umi's face was still bright red from all the attention. It only got worse when Honoka kissed her soundly on the lips, remembering Maki's threat from earlier.

Four.

Maki twirled her hair around her finger as everyone turned to her, trying to hide her smile as they surrounded her with hugs.

Five.

Rin's grin was brighter than the sun, they all thought as they kissed her cheeks.

Six.

Hanayo's smile was small as she became the center of attention, but her heart was swelling up with happiness.

Seven.

Nico's eyes were sparkling when everyone gathered around her, a contented smile on her lips.

Eight.

Nozomi took charge when her turn came, kissing each member one at a time and delighting in their flustered faces.

Nine.

Eli felt all of the tension and stress from the day fade away as she relaxed into everyone's warm embraces.

The ritual completed, the nine girls headed to bed, happy and content as they curled up with each other and fell asleep, dreaming of the days to come.


	6. KotoEliUmi

**Pairing:** Kotori/Eli/Umi

**Requested by:** greyclouds-xo on tumblr

"Really," Umi said, looking at the thermometer, "you're supposed to be the responsible one."

Eli gave a tired smile. "Sorry." There was nothing else she could say; it was entirely her own fault that she had gotten sick. She had just come back from Russia after spending a month visiting her grandmother, and the warmer Japanese winter had thrown off her sense of temperature. It only took a couple days of going outside with too thin of a jacket for her to catch a bad cold. "Do I have a fever?"

Umi sighed, shaking her head. "No. But just because you don't have a fever doesn't mean you don't have to rest! You're staying in this bed until you get better, understand?"

"Yes, yes." Eli leaned back against the pillow, closing her eyes. Umi frowned, looking at her with concern. Fever or not, the older girl still looked very sick. Her face was flushed, and her voice was rough from a sore throat. At least the coughing wasn't too bad, now that Eli had taken some medicine.

"Don't be too hard on her, Umi-chan." Both girls looked up as Kotori entered the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of soup. She handed it to Eli before sitting next to Umi on the bed. "I'm sure this isn't the first time Eli-chan's been sick. She knows how to take care of herself."

"If she knew how to take care of herself, she would have worn a proper winter jacket and she wouldn't be sick right now." Umi's words had no fight in them. She knew Kotori was right, and she knew that Eli would be fine. But she couldn't help but worry when she remembered how Eli had been up all night coughing. It was just a cold right now, but it could easily turn into more.

"Thank you for the soup, Kotori. It's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it!" Kotori gave Eli a bright smile as the other girl ate another spoonful. Eli felt herself relaxing as she ate more, the liquid warming her body and soothing her throat. A few minutes passed before she put the spoon down, the bowl still half full.

"Sorry, I don't think I can eat any more." Eli pushed the bowl away and laid back down, suddenly exhausted. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open.

"Don't worry about it! I'll put the leftovers in the fridge for later and we'll let you rest." Kotori picked the tray up and left the room, glancing at Umi who nodded in return.

"We'll be in the other room, Eli, so if you need anything just call." Umi got to her feet, taking the damp cloth from Eli's forehead and replacing it with a fresh one.

"I think… I'll just take a nap," Eli murmured, her voice getting quieter and quieter as she drifted off. Umi waited a moment longer, watching as the older girl's breathing deepened. She knew there was nothing to worry about, but worrying was what she did. That was her job. She always had to be the one to watch over everyone else and make sure nothing bad happened. There was nothing more she could do now, though, so she dimmed the lights and left the room.

"Did she fall asleep?" Kotori asked as Umi entered the kitchen.

"Yes. She'll probably sleep for a while, since she got so little last night."

Kotori hummed in agreement as she finished putting the rest of the soup away. "We should take advantage of the situation, while we can."

"…take advantage? What are you planning on doing?"

"We should see a movie!"

"What? We can't do that when Eli's sick! What if she wakes up and needs us?"

"Silly Umi-chan," Kotori said, leading the way into the living room. "I didn't mean go to the movie theater. We can watch something on my laptop! And we're right by the bedroom, so we'll be able to hear Eli-chan when she wakes up. Ok?"

"I guess that's fine. What were you planning on watching?"

"Sky of Love! I found it yesterday!"

"S-sky of Love? Kotori, that's a romance!"

"Of course! Now come on, let's watch it!" Kotori pulled the already blushing Umi onto the couch and started the movie, ignoring all protests from her girlfriend.


	7. MakiNicoEli (BiBi)

Sorry for the delay. College is starting again, so updates are going slower than I expected. I'll try to get the majority of the requests done during February.

* * *

**Pairing:** MakiNicoEli (BiBi)

**Requested by: **Major Mike Powell III

It was probably the thousandth time Maki had questioned this decision, and she had only just made it to the restaurant. She stared at the entrance uneasily, debating whether or not it was too late to call the whole thing off.

"This is all Nozomi's fault," she grumbled to herself. " 'You should meet my high school friends,' she said. 'They've been dating for two years, but don't worry, you'll fit right in,' she said. Yeah, sure, Nozomi, whatever you say. It's not like this is exactly how my _last_ relationship started or anything. And it's _definitely_ not like that one failed horribly, or anything."

The two girls had been friends since childhood. They had welcomed Maki with open arms, but in the end she just couldn't keep up with them. She had broken it off before their knowing looks and perfect understanding of each other drove her insane. There was no reason why this attempt at a relationship wouldn't go the same. Maki sighed, glancing at her watch. If she was going to go in, she had to go in now.

"Who even does blind dates anymore," she muttered. But she pushed the door open and walked inside the restaurant. She was here, and Nozomi's friends were waiting for her. Leaving now would be rude.

It took a moment for Maki's eyes to adjust to the dim interior of the place. It was a higher end restaurant, the walls a deep burgundy and small candles illuminating the tables. Soft classical music played overhead, adding to the romantic atmosphere. Beethoven. Maki nodded in approval, looking around for the people she was supposed to meet. What did Nozomi say they were supposed to look like?

_One of them was tall, with blonde hair. She's an occasional model, and she looks the part. You can't miss her._ That's what Nozomi said, of course, but it was harder than it seemed. _The other one has black hair, usually up in pigtails. She's tiny, but she's loud. You'll love her, I'm sure._ That last part had been said with a smirk and twinkling eyes, leaving Maki with the distinct feeling that it was going to be the opposite. She headed deeper into the restaurant, searching for the two girls.

"I _told_ you she wasn't going to show up!" Maki could hear the high pitched voice from around the corner.

"Calm down." The second voice was smooth, gentle. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. She's probably just nervous."

Maki couldn't help but get defensive over that, especially when her suspicions were confirmed and the voices belonged to the people she was meeting. She took a deep breath – she was _not_ nervous, absolutely not – and went up to the table.

"Hello," she said, in what she hoped was a conversational tone, "I'm Nishikino Maki. You're Nozomi's friends, correct?" The two girls looked up at her, the black haired one's scowl growing bigger. But the other girl gave a welcoming smile and nod.

"Yes, we are. I'm Ayase Eli, and this Yazawa Nico. It's nice to meet you."

Maki hummed in agreement as she sat down at the round table. Eli shot Nico a glare, who grumbled something under her breath.

"Yeah, nice to meet you," she said a bit louder, annoyance coloring her voice. "What took you so long?"

"Why does it matter?" Maki shot back immediately, Nico's attitude already frustrating her. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"And we're glad you are," Eli interjected before Nico could respond. Nico leaned back in her seat with a frown, arms crossed. "We've been looking forward to meeting with you, ever since Nozomi first mentioned you. You're a second year at the university, right? What are you studying?"

"Medicine."

"Oh, really? That's fascinating."

"Sure it is," Nico drawled, and Eli gave her a stern look.

"Be nice, Nico."

"Why should I? I didn't ask for this! Nozomi's always doing this kinda shit, just setting us up without asking for our opinions." There was a fire in the girl's red eyes as she glared at her girlfriend. Eli met her gaze evenly, and Maki shifted uncomfortably as they communicated silently. A moment passed, and Nico's shoulders slumped with a muttered 'hmph'.

"Nozomi's never steered us wrong before," Eli said gently, firmly, giving Maki an apologetic smile. "What made you decide to go into medicine?"

"My parents made me," Maki said flatly, and she almost felt bad when she saw Eli realize that this was not a good conversation topic to pursue.

"I see." And it looked like even Nico felt a twinge of guilt at Eli's quiet voice.

The rest of the dinner went much the same: Eli would try to start a conversation, engaging Maki in any way she could. Nico stayed silent out of defiance. And Maki tried to be nice, she really did, but each time she went to answer Eli's questions she remembered the way Nico had given Eli advice on what to order, the way Eli had silently passed her water over when Nico disliked the martini she had gotten, the way they looked at each other with such simple affection, and her mouth dried up and her words came out harsh.

The bill finally came after what felt like the longest hour Maki had ever experienced. She was sure the feeling of relief was shared around the table. The dinner was finally over.

"I'll pay for it," she said, grabbing the check before anyone else could reach for it. Nico raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, someone's feeling rich. A university student, and a med one at that, paying for dinner? I think this place might be a _little_ over your budget."

Maki bristled at the mocking tone, but Eli interrupted before she could say anything. "That's very kind of you, Maki, but you don't have to worry about it. We'll take care of it."

Now it was a matter of pride, and Maki wasn't going to back down. "No, I said I'll pay. It's fine. And I get a discount here, anyways."

"A discount?" Eli was the one who said it, but even Nico looked a little interested.

"I play the piano here every other weekend. It's one of the perks."

"Wait, you play the piano?" Nico leaned forward, suddenly interested. Eli sighed, and Maki got the impression that she knew exactly where this was going.

"Yes, I've played since I was little."

"Are you any good?" The question came immediately after Maki finished, and she felt a twinge of annoyance at the implied doubt.

"Of course I'm good! I play at a fancy restaurant, do you think they'd hire amateurs?"

Nico ignored the jab. "Can you sing? Or dance? Well, I suppose we can teach you to dance, so that doesn't matter, but singing's important. So?"

"Yeah, I can sing." Maki frowned. "Why are you asking all these questions?"

"Nico wants to be an idol," Eli explained, and Maki turned to her in surprise. "It's been a dream of hers since she was little. We're trying to start an idol group, the two of us, but we don't have a composer yet."

"You'd be perfect, though," Nico said, excitement bubbling up in her voice. "You have the looks, you can play piano, and you can sing! So, what do you say?"

It was tempting. A chance to continue playing the music? Maki hated to say no to that, but she didn't have a choice. "I don't know… I'm not really supposed to play anymore. It will distract me from my studying, my father said."

"What a dumb reason." Was Nico angry? "Do you love music?"

"Of course I do."

"Then go for it! Don't let anyone stop you from doing something you love! If you want to play, you should play."

"Nico's right. You shouldn't give up something you love." There was a hint of sadness in Eli's eyes, but her smile was warm. Maki felt something rising up within her as she looked at the two girls, something light and hot. And she realized that she couldn't help but feel interested in them, in Eli's gentle words and Nico's sudden passionate display.

"Alright. I'll join your group." Nico's eyes lit up, and Eli's smile grew wider, and Maki thought that maybe it would be okay to give this relationship a chance.


	8. HonoUmiEli

**Pairing: **Honoka/Umi/Eli

**Requested by:** gardapati (and lychee-ran)

* * *

"Come on, come on!" Honoka yelled the moment they got off the train, grabbing her girlfriends' hands and pulling them across the hot sand of the beach. Eli and Umi shared exasperated smiles as they allowed themselves to be tugged towards the ocean. _Might as well indulge her,_ their looks said, _she's earned it._ It was the first day of summer break; Honoka had studied hard for her tests, and as a reward the other girls had promised to take her to the beach. Honoka was delighted to finally reap the benefits of her hard work, splashing into the cold water with glee. She dragged the other two deeper into the water until it reached their knees, then dropped their hands and twirled around with a bright smile.

"Isn't this great? Ahh, I love the beach! Hey, hey!" Honoka's eyes lit up as she flung her arm out, pointing to a buoy bobbing gently in the distance. "Let's go swimming! We'll have a race!"

"Can't you calm down for even a minute? We just got here." Umi frowned and crossed her arms, but a smile tugged at her lips and her voice held no malice. Honoka pouted anyways and turned to Eli, who laughed softly at the expression.

"I see no harm in it."

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Honoka waded farther into the water, motioning for Eli to follow. Umi watched them line up, smiling as Honoka's enthusiastic countdown led to them diving into the cold water. Eli took the lead immediately, and would probably stay that way, Umi mused as she followed them at a more sedate pace. She was taller and more athletic than Honoka, which gave her a clear advantage, though Honoka's boundless energy could lead to some surprises. Umi stretched out in the water, stroking lazily towards the buoy. The ocean was a cool relief from the summer heat, the hot sun shining brightly down on the water.

She flipped over on her back, floating up and down on the waves. There was laughter in the distance as her girlfriends celebrated the end of the race. Her smile grew; Honoka's laugh was as bright as the sunshine. That would make Eli's soft smile the soothing ocean then, wouldn't it? Umi shook her head and let out a small, breathless laugh. Writing lyrics always got her in a poetic mood.

A smooth motion turned her upright, and she tread water easily as she looked for the other girls. They had to be done by now, and Umi was feeling a strong desire to rejoin them. She searched out the buoy with her eyes, but there was no sign of either girl. Umi frowned, spinning in a slow circle as she tried to find them. That was odd… they wouldn't go back to the beach without her, would they?

The water shifted behind her, and Umi jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, a sudden weight pressed against her back. Eli blew air at her ear, smiling as she felt Umi shiver.

"E-Eli! Don't-"

Honoka rose up from the water, kissing Umi soundly on the lips and cutting off whatever reprimand she had planned. She pulled away a moment later, and she and Eli shared big grins at Umi's bright red face.

"I'd say that was a success." Eli's eyes twinkled in amusement, Honoka nodding vigorously in agreement. Umi flubbed unsuccessfully for words, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

"Aahhh, I love summer!" Honoka sighed in pure bliss, flopping onto her back and reveling in the salty air.


	9. NicoRinPana

**Update: As of right now (July 2015) I have no plans of continuing these stories. I would rather spend my time working on longer fics. Apologies to everyone who had sent in a request, and thanks to everyone who read and reviewed.**

* * *

**Pairing: **Nico/Rin/Hanayo

**Requested by: **kiasne

* * *

This was Nico-chan's idea, and Nico-chan's ideas were always good ones, Hanayo reminded herself. And yet she couldn't help but feel distressed as her girlfriend yelled expletives at the screen. Rin, the third member of their trio, was sitting on Hanayo's other side, whooping in excitement as her video game character sent Nico's flying into a wall. Hanayo cringed at Nico's scowl, shifting her grip on the controller with shaky hands. She knew nothing about this game – about any video game, really – but Nico and Rin had looked so excited to play it that Hanayo felt compelled to go along.

Rin had picked out a character for her, stating that it was 'almost as cute as Kayo-chin!'. Hanayo was almost certain that the small, pink blob was named Kiby. It didn't seem to be able to do much though. Rin's character had a metal suit and a huge gun, Nico's was an angel with a bow, and Hanayo's had… well, it was able to sort of fly. Although Hanayo didn't even do that much, preferring to stay on the ground to avoid the battle going on in the upper part of the screen. The other two characters clashed, colors flashing as they sent each other flying. The damage counter at the bottom of the screen kept going up, increasing more and more until Nico's character was finally blown away, disappearing from the stage.

"Nya ha!" Rin threw her hands up in victory, grinning widely.

"Don't get so cocky!" Nico shot back. "You still have to defeat Hanayo, remember? Come on, Hanayo, fight! You got this!" Nico turned to Hanayo with determined eyes, urging her on. Rin gasped, diving for her discarded controller.

"Um. H-how?" Hanayo wiggled one of the sticks experimentally, as if that would suddenly unlock some hidden ability to play video games. It didn't seem to work, and she sent Nico a helpless look.

"Here, I'll help you." Nico scooted behind Hanayo, ignoring Rin's protests. Hanayo gulped as Nico wrapped her arms around her, a blush rising to her cheeks as Nico's hands covered her own. Nico murmured instructions into her ear, the warm air sending a shiver down Hanayo's back.

With Nico's fingers guiding hers, Hanayo's character finally came to life. It jumped around the screen, kicking and spinning and performing moves that Hanayo could barely comprehend. But she seemed to be doing well, judging by the soft growls coming from the girl next to her. Rin was focused on the screen, eyes narrowed and tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth.

"Yes!" Nico shouted a few minutes later, Hanayo wincing at the sudden noise right in her ear. "We did it! Nice going, Hanayo!"

Hanayo stared at the tv, a helpless smile growing on her face as she comprehended the words glowing on the screen. Her character – Kirby, it read – was dancing front and center, the other characters clapping in the background. She had won. Well, Nico-chan had won, she corrected herself. After all, Nico had done all the work. But she still felt a glowing sense of pride, knowing that she had helped at least a little bit.

"Great job, Kayo-chin!" Rin hugged her from the side, rubbing her face against Hanayo's cheek and smiling brightly. Hanayo blushed at the affection.

"R-rin-chan! But… aren't you upset that you lost?"

"Nope!" Rin pulled away, grinning at Hanayo. "If Kayo-chin's happy, then Rin's happy! So Rin likes it when Kayochin wins!"

"Hmph. You're never that considerate to me." Nico crossed her arms, eyebrows raised expectantly. Rin turned to her with a glint in her eye, practically pouncing on the other girl and capturing her in a tight hug.

"Don't worry! Rin loves Nico-chan too!"

"What – hey! Get off me!"

Hanayo giggled at Nico's futile attempts to push Rin off. She set her controller aside, taking one last look at the victory screen before joining the hug with a contented smile.


End file.
